Friday, July 22, 2016

57 miles. 8700+ ft climbing. Boulder, CO start with Flagstaff Rd climb off the bat. Hot air balloons and rude locals. 2500 ft climbing in first 7 miles. Lakeshore Dr turns into rock garden/high maintenance vehicle road. Lunch in Nederland. 505 out of Eldora is jeep road. Alternated between pedaling and hike a bike for 5 miles topping out at 10,000 ft. A lot of cursing on that section. On Caribou Rd I was stopped by search parties looking for a missing mountain biker. : ( I didn’t see anything on the mountain except one elk and an abandoned pickup truck. Saw a moose and mooselet hanging out in a pond. Peak to Peak Rd is a slog up to Switzerland Rd, the third rock garden on the ride. All downhill from there. Hit 40mph coming down into Boulder. Went through a tunnel too! 12 bottles of water consumed.

29.5 miles. 4500+ ft climbing. Elevation at start - 8,500. Elevation at top - 12,200. Up Old Fall River Rd to Alpine Center. Down Trail Ridge Rd. Hit 40mph. Chris said he hit over 50mph. We saw marmot, elk and other small animals. Windy for most of the ride, worse at the top. Thanks to Alan Schenkel and Chris Covey for making sure I didn't pass out from lack of oxygen on the ride.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Caffeine is a recognised trade tool of the cyclist. “It’s a mild central nervous system stimulant that prompts the release of adrenaline for energy,” said the British Coffee Association. This makes it perfect for endurance sports.

Sports nutritionist Tim Lawson (Secret Training Ltd, previously of Science in Sport), says that “caffeine by itself can promote fat metabolism and retain muscle glycogen”, so a black coffee before a fasted ride in the morning may increase the amount of fat you burn.

However, an over-reliance on caffeine can compromise your sleep quality, “which will alter hormone levels and reduce your ability to process carbohydrates, possibly sending you on a downward spiral. Instead, go carefully with caffeine to really get the beneﬁt when you need it,” he advises.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Parking-protected bike lanes in Montreal’s Plateau neighborhood, which has one of the highest cycling mode shares in North America. Photo by Karen

Most people understand that a reduction in driving could have a measurable impact on slowing the process of climate change by reducing harmful tailpipe emissions, but how do you convince enough people to refrain from driving?

New research presented by scientists at McGill University suggests that the construction of safe bike infrastructure could significantly reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions by offering potential motorists an attractive alternative to getting in their cars. Basically, it’s the “if you build it, they will come” philosophy many advocates lean on to champion bike infrastructure, backed up by scientists.